This week's update of the U.S. Federal Communication Commission's database has revealed an as-yet-unannounced Apple product, with screw placement and case dimensions similar to that of the fourth-generation Apple TV.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York issued a public bid on Wednesday, asking for proposals for a new contactless ticketing system to replace the MetroCard, and potentially allow iPhone users to pay for public transit on their smartphone.

The popular Facebook Messenger app could soon become far more than a chat client, with the social networking service apparently planning to offer in-store purchases through its mobile app, after the company signaled it could partner with Apple Pay for retail checkouts.

The CEO of France-based carrier Orange has revealed that the company's proprietary tap-to-pay wallet Orange Cash will arrive on the iPhone in a few weeks. That's led to speculation that Apple could be preparing to allow third-party apps and services to access the iPhone's NFC chip.

The NFC Forum -- an industry lobbying group that counts Apple as a board member -- on Wednesday announced a new partnership with the American Public Transportation Association that will see the two groups working to broaden NFC support among public transit operators in the U.S.

The highly successful launch of Apple Pay on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has helped to grow the long-established Google Wallet service, as both rely on the same near-field communication technology for tap-to-pay functions.

Though it is a member of the MCX group behind the upcoming CurrentC mobile payment system, grocery chain Meijer still supports Apple Pay and plans to continue to do so, in apparent violation of MCX's exclusivity rules.

Chipmaker NXP, which is believed to supply the near-field communications chips found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, hopes automakers will adopt its technology, potentially enabling future car owners to unlock and even start their car with their smartphone.

Though the near-field communications chip in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is currently exclusively for Apple Pay, the wireless functionality may be expanded to new uses such as replacing a public transit card or a secure building access keycard.

Apple's latest iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 incorporate Touch ID and support for Apple Pay within apps, with the same 10 hour battery life of previous models. The full size iPad Air 2 is also now 18 percent slimmer with an improved, antireflective display and gains a faster A8X chip, faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, a barometer, and a significantly improved iSight camera.

Apple's newest iPads feature one of the same chips used by iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to handle tap-to-pay NFC transactions, but the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 only support Apple Pay within apps, sparing users the embarrassment of carrying around a gigantic alternative to their credit card.

Though Apple Pay isn't even available to consumers yet, investment firm Morgan Stanley expects that Apple's mobile wallet service will become the industry standard and help drive wider adoption of NFC-based payment systems.

Apple's eighth iPhone event introduced two new larger-screened, larger-capacity new phones, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, along with a continuation two of the world's top selling models, iPhone 5c and 5s, now at a reduced price.

Apple is finally expected to announce its entry in the mobile payments arena alongside the "iPhone 6" at a media event on Tuesday in Cupertino, and rumors suggest that the new system will be based around tokenization for enhanced security. AppleInsider took a look at what that means for users.

With just over a day to go before Apple's highly anticipated media event, a slew of new videos from China claim to again show off functioning 4.7-inch "iPhone 6" units, complete with a new credit card toting Passbook icon. And yet another video offers a peek at a 2,915 mAh battery expected to power the jumbo-sized 5.5-inch iPhone.